On the morning of January 9, a mobile phone began to buzz on a desk in Pretoria, South Africa. It then began to ping with messages and missed calls. The phone belongs to Thabiso Rengane.
The message was from the UCI sharing that the Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team had been granted a Continental license for the 2026 season. Rengane’s heart jumped. They had done it, what a moment!
I had last seen Thabiso – the Team Manager – at the Tour of Benin in May, where they were very successful. Comparing these moments, Thabiso shared that both experiences were immense in their own unique way, “Since they both represented huge achievements for a relatively new team and for me personally,” he said.
“It was our first-ever UCI race as a team, and to come out victorious and take all those jerseys was incredibly exciting. Getting the confirmation from the UCI felt very different, but just as powerful. It represents a massive jump from where we started.”
The team came into existence just two years ago to race domestically, sponsored by a South African infrastructure company. ‘Tshenolo’ means ‘revelation’ in Setswana, a local Bantu language across southern Africa.
Malusi Molewa, the Chair and Founder of the Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team, said of their achievements, “You know, as in the business space, when one grows to a level where one feels they are ready to compete at a higher level, that’s exactly what you do – grasp the opportunity.
“The team was born out of the hunger from our riders; having said this, it’s our riders that will decide where the team goes. I will always be there to support them.”
Former WorldTour pro Reinardt Janse van Rensburg was their most high-profile recruit in the 2025 season. He had recently retired, with nine Grand Tour starts on his palmares, including six at the Tour de France.
“I thought my days of pinning on a race number in a professional race were over, but at 37, suiting up for Tshenolo with their new Continental license feels like a fresh chapter. It means reigniting that raw passion for competition and the camaraderie of teammates pushing limits together,” Van Rensburg said.
“More than that, it’s about giving back, mentoring the next generation, while proving to myself and others that experience and grit can still shine in a sport dominated…
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